About three months ago we went through medical issues that took the life of our beloved boy ?Skeeter?. We got much support from this Forum making the process a bit more bearable. He had pancreas, diabetic issues that became too much and he died. That left his lifelong buddy ?Heidi? alone. She just kind of moped around for a long time and we decided to find her a new friend.
We filled out a request at BRAT and began receiving emails. Then we ran across a boy that was in Southern Missouri from Tonya Ahrens. This young B was found wondering the streets in Wichita and was removed from a shelter. Without papers, a name or knowledge of his age we decided to Foster him and see if we could give him a permanent home. He has been in our home only a few days now. We have given him the name of ?Rocky? because he is a stocky boy, but he is definitely all Basenji. His age is estimated at somewhere between 2 and 5 and he is very easy going.
?Heidi? has accepted him and we were expecting more of a problem. She is very much the Alpha in this home and ?Rocky? has accepted it, ignoring her occasional growling at his every move. But, and it?s a big but, he does a couple things that are deal breakers and the last thing we want to do is return a Fostered B. While Tonya was still here going over the Fostering paperwork, ?Rocky? marked a couple spots in our house. She told us one trick you can do is wrap a towel or something around his stomach and when he does that he ends up going on himself. We tried it, but he just ripped it off and I guess, I don?t blame him.
We can understand the marking to a point and assume it will end eventually, but we have noticed a far worse problem. ?Rocky? has found a corner of our family room, that we hadn?t noticed. A couple times now he has pooped. I?m afraid it being the same spot that he will continue? We have seen him outside doing it and then realized he came in and did it again, right afterwards.
We have gone through the process of house breaking new B?s before, but ?Rocky? is somewhere between 2 and 5 years old and not sure how to go about that process now. I have given him a scolding and let him know not to do it. He has open door privileges to our fenced in back yard and can go out anytime he needs to go. So, that is the problem and not sure the best way to handle it. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thanks
?Heidi? is the picture on the left and ?Rocky? is on the right.
Jerry and Dana Dwyer in KC